Night Camp 1: A Certain Proper Circumstance
by Debi C1
Summary: A series of stories set on alien planets as each member stands guard.  Daniel sees something wonderful.


Daniel stretched and got up from the log to do his final perimeter check. He had been assigned the first watch this evening. Usually he got first watch due to his penchant towards late hours. He was an inveterate insomniac and simply wasn't an early riser. He was usually still thinking about the day's finds and how to translate the new writings that he had located on their journeys.

He used to try and write in his journals but once Jack had figured out what he was doing the Commander in him overrode the friend. Jack had explained to him in no uncertain terms that Guard Duty actually meant that he was to Guard The Camp, not just sit up and do paperwork at night. He had come a long way since then and realized now that the literal safety of his teammates rested upon his shoulders for these two or three hours during the night of his detail. And he took that responsibility very seriously.

As he walked the perimeter, he tried to recognize and memorize everything that he saw. The glorious full moon, how the trees arched across the sky, the large boulders braced against the forest wall and the sparkling gurgle of the spring rippling across the stones of it's bed. Songs of the insects and other small creatures blended into the whisper of the breeze to create music to rival those of any classical composer. Daniel had come to realize that this was where Jack had developed his appreciation for the great musicians. They couldn't equal, only imitate, the balance and beauty of nature's symphonies.

The greatest of artists couldn't create the tapestry that could rival the panorama of nature's majesty that was reborn every day in its own inimical way. Then he heard the sounds; the audible nick of hooves on stone, the brush of gossamer on tree boughs, the delicate breath inhaled and a sight from his imagination.

There before him in the bright moonlight stood the impossible. It had stepped out into the small clearing, naive to any danger and innocent in its own fey fashion. It was a small fragile creature perhaps two feet high; its color was that of delicate marbled silver. The body was exquisite, the size of a large cat, weighing perhaps no more than twenty pounds at most. The legs were delicate ending in tiny cloven hooves. Its neck was a fragile arch, ending in a face and head carved by the master's hand to be precisely perfect in its shape and form. A tiny horn, just a bud, crowned the tiny forehead. Daniel blinked, almost willing it to disappear. Nothing like this would exist, could exist in the mortal world that they lived in. It looked fearlessly at him gauging his reaction, judging his intentions. After a moment, the youngling turned and gazed back into the woods. Then, she came.

The mare came into the clearing to join her foal. If the child had been faultless, the dam was perfection. She stepped out of the tangle of branches as graceful as any sylvan goddess and stood before him. The mother was twice the size of her offspring, the color of moonlight reflecting off a still lake. Her mane drifted over her shoulder and the flowing tail trailed behind almost to the ground. Her ivory horn was a spiral of wonder growing from between the wide set sapphire eyes. She inspected him fearlessly with the confidence of royalty.

He knelt down to her and held his breath; fearful of his failing her expectations of him. The mare approached him, watching him not with trepidation but with a trust that was absolute. Finally, after an eon of hope and wonder, she touched him, sniffing his outstretched hand. It was a whisper of contact, ephemeral at best, but real and it shook him to his depths. She watched him, saw him, trusted him and gave him her benediction. Her fawn approached but would not come too close, remaining a hair's breath away.

Jack sat at his tent opening, transfixed by the scene in front of him. Daniel had dropped to one knee and had extended his hand to the mythical creature and she had deigned to approach him. She reached forward with her head and touched him. They were transfixed with each other, ignoring anyone as mortal and crass as himself that might witness their miracle. Daniel and the creature remained as they were for an infinite measure of time. Unwilling to release the moment, the two lingered caught in the enchantment. Then, finally, the mother withdrew. She turned back gliding into her enchanted woods, taking her magic child with her.

The two humans sat unmoving for a time not believing, not willing to disbelieve what had occurred. Never in his life had Daniel even considered that what had just happened could ever, would ever happen...to him. Finally, when he thought to breathe again he shifted his position and realized someone was watching. That the impossible had not only happened to him but that it had been witnessed by someone else.

Jack came to him out of his tent and bent to assist him. His warm firm hands touched his friend, and then supported him, lifting him to his feet. "Are you all right?" O'Neill whispered. "Daniel, Danny? Can you hear me?"

Daniel shook his head to clear the mists of wonder, and then looked into the brown eyes what watched him worriedly. "Jack, did you see?" He whispered, then turned back to look at the woods where the vision had disappeared.

Jack's brown eyes smiled, their edges crinkled in warmth. "Yeah, Danny. I saw." And the strong hands supported him, escorting him to the fireside.

"But...but they don't exist..."

"Sure, Danny-boy. Not anymore, at least not on Earth." O'Neill agreed graciously with a suspicious lilt to his voice. "But we're not on Earth anymore. Granny O'Neill use to say that they would only come to certain special people in certain proper circumstances. It's not everyone that can see a unicorn ya'know."

"Jack?" He looked up into his friend's face.

"And you are a special lad that's for sure. Now come here to the fire before ya see something really impossible." O'Neill smiled at his friend's expression.

They sat together for a long while, basking in the warmth of companionship. Finally, Daniel got up to go to their shared tent. Before going in he stopped a moment and looked back at O'Neill who was stirring the embers to flame, preparing to take his turn at watch. "It's too late" he mused aloud, "I think I've just seen a six foot leprechaun."

Jack grinned at him. Daniel ducked into the canvas shelter. "Ay Danny my lad. And yer only a little fey."


End file.
